Local Poll Week XII: Richmond's Ranked

* I would have guessed RIchmond might have been the week's big mover. Hence, the headline here. The Spiders have sure been the subject of a lot of bracket chatter in recent days, and on Monday they moved into the AP's top 25 for the first time since 1986. It's also the first time a local team other than Georgetown has been nationally ranked since November. But it did nothing for the Spiders' local standing; they're still stuck at fourth. (Richmond is 27th in the coaches' poll, behind Virginia Tech.)

* Three local teams (Hokies, Spiders, Monarchs) reached 20 wins in the past week, and each did so without suffering a loss. And yet none of them could touch Georgetown in the local rankings, and two of them remained behind the Terps. Anti-Virginia bias?

* In the week's most dramatic shift, Virginia Tech passed Maryland for second. Also, VCU dipped from sixth to eighth, with Virginia and William & Mary each moving up a spot.

* Maybe someone downed too many snow shots, but Morgan State and George Washington each received a first-place vote.

* Georgetown fell to 10th in both national polls. Virginia Tech is 27th/26th, and Old Dominion and Maryland are both receiving (scant) votes.

* Georgetown remained 8th in RPI. Richmond kept creeping up to 27th, as did Old Dominion (33rd), Maryland (42nd) and Virginia Tech (49th). William & Mary is 50th, while VCU plummeted to 66th. Virginia is 95th.

Here are the totals. We have team, record (through Sunday's games), points and first-place votes. Last week's standings are found below, and there's more hilarity even further below.

1. Georgetown (18-6) 482 (43)
--Next: Thursday vs. Syracuse.
--Beating Villanova but then losing to Rutgers is about the equivalent of winning a Twain prize for humor but then not getting your jokes published in a regional sports poll run by a member of a dying industry. (Grant Kronenberg)

3. Maryland (16-7) 389 (3)
--Next: Monday vs. No. 6 Virginia, Wednesday at N.C. State, Saturday vs. Georgia Tech.
--As the Cameron Crazies have taught us, it's okay to make fun of someone's heritage as long as you do it in Spanish. So, "Vuelva a New Jersey usted tirones de elitest." (Jack Lambert)

4. Richmond (20-6) 373 (1)
--Next: Wednesday vs. Fordham, Saturday vs. No. 11 George Washington.
--Getting so much love on ESPN right now you would assume Brett Favre was their point guard. (Jake Leffler)

7. William & Mary (18-7) 175
--Next: Tuesday at No. 9 George Mason, Friday at Iona.
--The Tribe hit the "save" button after beating Maryland, so they can just re-load their season from there, right? (Gavin Weiss)

8. VCU (17-7) 171
--Next: Tuesday vs. Drexel, Saturday vs. Akron.
--Projecting Kirill Pishchalnikov's stats against James Madison over the full 40 minutes, Kirill would have recorded 80 fouls, which I believe would qualify as a felony. (John Albers)

9. George Mason (16-10) 116
--Next: Tuesday vs. No. 7 William & Mary, Saturday vs. Charleston.
--Athletic director Tom O'Connor suspended Mike Morrison two games for "failing to meet the standards expected of a Mason student-athlete." He then punched Morrison in the crotch, just to remind Morrison how Mason did it back in the good old days. (Jack Lambert)

11. George Washington (13-10) 43 (1)
--Next: Wednesday vs. U-Mass., Saturday at No. 4 Richmond.
--Still the third-ranked George in the D.C. area for now, but George Stephanopoulos is looming large. (Gavin Weiss)

The Hoyas left the Sopranos' homeland Sunday the same way The Sopranos ended, with a giant "What the hell was that?" (Markus Videnieks)

Beating Villanova but then losing to Rutgers is the equivalent of winning a PGA Tour major but then failing to delete text messages from your mistress. (Amanda Kronenberg)

The Hoyas are like the Gerard Butler to our Jennifer Aniston this Valentine's Day: I don't want to rank them first either, but right now, they're all we've got. (Jack Lambert)

After beating the Friars and losing to the Scarlet Knights last week, the Hoyas admitted that they preferred the Sherwood Forest version of Robin Hood to the Crusades version, despite Kevin Costner's weird accent. (Ivan Snyder)

Losing to Rutgers should relegate you to the Atlantic Sun. (Joey Flyntz)

Losing at Rutgers was tough, but not as disappointing as driving all the way through Jersey and not once seeing Snookie. (Jake Leffler)

2. Maryland

Things were relatively quiet in College Park after Maryland's loss to Duke, due in large part to the fact that all the couches had previously been burned for warmth. (John Albers)

I was glad to see the official TV network of Maryland football, ESPN360.com, pick up the Maryland-UVA basketball game. (Markus Videnieks)

Terps fell to 1-5 this season in games in which Greivis Vasquez forgets to gel his hair. (Scott Allen)

Can you imagine what the Cameron Crazies would have chanted at Juan Dixon if he tested positive during college? (Jim Fox)

By time you read this, the Terps will probably be losing another must-win game to an inferior Virginia team. (Joey Flyntz)

3. Virginia Tech

Apparently in Blacksburg, a "Black Out" means you wear a black shirt to a basketball. In D.C., it means having no power, fumbling around for matches and wondering how you are going to keep your perishables cold when there are four feet of snow outside. (John Albers)

Four guys standing around, looking confused and waiting for something to happen. Wait, when was Seth Greenberg invited to script the torch lighting ceremony? (Jack Lambert)

Adrian Fenty inquires with Virginia Tech officials about dumping some of the District's snow in Blacksburg and calling Tuesday's game against Wake Forest a Whiteout. (Scott Allen)

Seth Greenberg is no longer kvetching and his family is kvelling after hearing that the Hokies are only 1.5 games back of Duke in the ACC. (Ivan Snyder)

4. Richmond

The Spiders are projected as an 8 seed in the latest bracketology by Joe Lunardi. And the way things appear to be going Mr. Lunardi, I am projecting a gastric bypass for Mr. Lunardi in the not-to-distant future. (John Albers)

Faces a Fordham team this week whose 16-game losing streak is a clear indication that they are still reeling from Smush Parker's decision to turn pro like 10 years ago. (Markus Videnieks)

Spiders men's basketball Web site includes screenshot from ESPN.com after Andy Katz named David Gonzalvez his National Player of the Week. D.C. Sports Bog screenshot next? (Scott Allen)

Sophomore Francis-Cedric Martel is from the same hometown (Montreal) as Canadian Olympians Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo. You learn something every week in the Atlantic 11. (Sean R.)

5. Old Dominion

Gerald Lee is sponsoring a team-wide pool for when Finland will win its first gold medal. (Scott Allen)

Look, I know Joe Lunardi was at Old Dominion Saturday, but if every place Lunardi visited was in contention for the tournament, the Dunkin Donuts off Route 6 in Bristol, Conn. would be looking at a possible number one seed right now. (Jack Lambert)

6. Virginia

We declare these truths to be self-evident: that Virginia fans shall have their hopes crushed by the inferior school in the cow town to their southwest. (Grant Kronenberg)

After a strong start, Mike Scott and the Hoos have been relegated to Assistant to the Regional Manager status. (Scott Allen)

As the College of Jefferson, Virginia is the only school which truly deserves Presidents day off. It seems unfair now, but things will even out when Mason and VCU get off for "My Mediocre Grades in High School and the Ability to Commute to School Made This My Number One Choice" Day. (Jack Lambert)

Cavaliers' match-up with Maryland will be for fourth place in the ACC. Of course, both teams hope that as the season enters the final turn, Virginia Tech will attempt to overtake Wake Forest, slip, and send both teams skidding across the ice into the boards. (John Albers)

Instead of re-scheduling their snowout game with Maryland, the Wahoos should have had to face the Terps in a snowball fight in DuPont Circle. (Gavin Weiss)

I wonder if Mike Scott realizes that he shares a name with one of the most dominant pitchers from Nintendo's RBI Baseball. (Markus Videnieks)

Have had two games postponed already this season. Come on Cavaliers, maybe it's time to take the hint...he's just not that into you. (Chris Bocquet)

February on U-Va.'s campus: collars re-popped, team headed towards the NIT, just like it has been for the last three decades or so. (M. Pettiford)

7. VCU

If Ernie Grunfeld were running the Rams, he would have given away Larry Sanders for Drew Gooden's expiring contract and not have demanded a draft pick back by now. (Jack Lambert)

Facing Humpty Hitchens and Akron on Saturday. In his signature move, first he limps to the side like his leg was broken, shakin' and twitchin' kinda like he was smokin'. It's crazy wack funky. (Markus Videnieks)

8. William & Mary

The 2000 Presidential Election was sorted out in less time than it has taken Willaim & Mary to select a mascot. (John Albers)

Wins at Delaware and Northeastern cap best February week for William and Mary since Parliament summoned them in 1689 to replace that coward James II. (Adam Anthony)

The hoops sensation has been downgraded to a disturbance. (John Albers)

In spotting Old Dominion a 17-1 lead, Patriots were hoping to prove that the Caps aren't the only team in town that can play from behind. (Scott Allen)

Mike Morrison's suspension is the worst punishment for a Morrison since Jim was arrested for indecency. (Ivan Snyder)

10. Morgan State

Not even the Bears' victory over Winston Salem State could arouse Coach Todd Bozeman from the deep depression he has been in since he learned he was passed over for role of the "Shirtless Man on Horse" in the Old Spice commercials. (John Albers)

Bears were distracted last night by S.C. State forward Arsenio Williams, who kept pointing his giant finger at different sections in the stands and assigning them silly allegiances. (Markus Videnieks)

First place in the MEAC blah blah blah, not that impressive blah blah blah. When do pitchers and catchers report again? (Jack Lambert)

I'm not sure I'd equate taunting Grievis in Spanish to making fun of his heritage (as Jack Lambert does). Grievis has said in the past that he enjoys the back and forth with the Duke crowd quite a bit. Maryland folks are really grasping at straws. This could be due to the lack of a good road win and losing six in a row to Duke.